Seal-lock



Patented Dec. 13,1887.

(Mm) C'. s. GILMAN.

SEALLOGK.

' cal section of the same.

rUNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE,

CHARLES SIDNEY GILMAN, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

SEAL-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,592, dated December 13, las? Application filed March 26, 1857. Serial No. 232,558. (Model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, CHARLES SIDNEY GIL` MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seal-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specication.

Like letters refer to the same parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a seal-lock constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a central verti- Fig. 3 is a top plan of the case with parts broken away. Fig. 4 represents the seals removed.

This invention relates to seal-locks of that class designed to prevent tampering with the lock without defacing the sealyand it consists in the peculiar combinations and the novel construction, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and then specifically defined in the claims.

Referring to the'drawings by letter, A represents a case of any suitable material, and preferably, though not necessarily, of the form shown in the drawings. The top of thecase is provided with openings a to receive the legs of the shackles B. These two openings are connected by a longitudinal slot, b. Within thecase a suitable distance below the top I secure a shelf, C, provided with openingsc to admit of the passage of the legs of the shackle, and these openings are connected by a longitudinal slot, c', the openings a and c and the slotsb and c being coincident, as shown. The side walls of the case are provided, substantially in the center thereof, with vertical slots d, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

Within a recess, E, in one leg of the shackle B, I pivot at e the latch or seal-defacer F. Around the pin f, passed transversely through the upper end of the recesses E, I place the spring G, designed to bear upon said latch and hold it normally in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. The point of this latch works in a notch, g, in the opposite leg ofthe shackle.-

I is the seal,which may be of various shapes, l

but preferably substantially round, with two flattened sides diametrically opposite each other. This ball or seal may be made of glass or other suitable fragile material. Upon the seal may be placed in any suitable way indicating-characters-such as numbers, letters,or the like.

In practice, the shackle being removed, the ball orseal is passed through the opening a onto the shelf C and moved along on said shelf till the numbers or characters on said ball can be seen through the slots d of the case. The shackleis then inserted in place, the spring G and the inclined face of the latch allowing the same to readily pass by the seal without breaking the same. After the latch has passed the seal the spring causes it to assume its normal position, the point of the latch entering the notch d in the opposite leg of the shackle, and when once in this position the shackle cannot be withdrawn without breaking the seal by the impingemeut of the latch against the same.

The seal should be made so fragile that any undue pressure upon the same, such as would be caused by an attempt to remove the shackle, would result in the breakage of said seal, but not so fragile as not to allow of the insertion of said shackle.

While I have shown the seal as provided with iattened sides, and prefer so to construct it, as these flat portions serve to prevent the seal from rolling, and thus'retain it in proper position, so that its characters may be seen through the slots d, I do not wish to limit myself thereto.

Having thus fully described my invention and set forth its merits,what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isA

l. The combination, with the case and the shackle pro vided with pivoted latch,of a fragile seal arranged in the path of said latch, suba stantially as and for the purpose specified.

IOO

2. The combination, with the case provided Y with slots d, of a ball seal within said case, provided with indieating`- characters, and a shackle provided with a latch, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the case provided with openings a in its top, and a slot connecting said openings, of a shackle, a latch pivoted thereto, and a fragile ball seal arranged in the path of said latch, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the case having in its top openings a, connected by longitudinal slot, of a shelf Within said case, provided with coincident openings and slots, a fragile seal supported by said shelf, and means for breaking said seal by the opening ofthe lock, as set forth.

5. In a seal-lock, a fragile spherical seal independent of the shackle and provided with indicating -characters, substantially as de- 2o scribed.

6. In a seal-lock, a fragile spherical seal flattened upon diametrically opposite sides, substantially as described.

7 In a seal-lock, a fragile spherical seal flat- 25 

